Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Sanctum - DVD Review

This movie was sold on being a 3D adventure. Caves, waterfalls, falling, diving, claustrophia, etc. The movie looks and feels like it was all shot on a series of soundstages with rubber walls. Never felt excited or nervous or in suspense. I spent a lot of cringing that these so-called experts kept doing dumb things.

The center of it is a father-son relationship on the rocks. Son's bitter and angry and petulant. Dad's a hard-headed shouter. They argue in cliches. Along for the ride is Ioan Gruffudd (Fantastic Four) as a wealthy businessman. Gee, I wonder who's going to be the coward who gets people killed halfway through? I should mention there are four or five other characters, but they're there to wait their turn to be stupid and perish.

Most deaths in this movie follow this pattern.

Deadmeat: I'm going to do this!Expert: Don't do it, it's too dangerous, it won't work!Deadmeat: Now I'm panicking, I'm still going to do it!Expert: No, don't!Deadmeat: I did it! Aaaaah! (falls to death or drowns)Expert: There was nothing we could do.